Alaska's Wolf Man: The 1915-55 Wilderness Adventures of Frank Glaser

by Jim Rearden

For forty years Frank Glaser trekked across wilderness Alaska on Foot, by wolf-dog team, and eventually by airplane. In his career he was a market hunter, trapper, roadhouse owner, professional dog team musher, and a federal predator agent. He was a legend in his own time, respected and admired for his sill as a woodsman and hunter by fellow sourdoughs and by his many Eskimo friends.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, American History, History, Memoir, Nature

344 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1998

Reviews

[Mel Stockwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Alaskan Wolf book ever! Frank was one of a kind and lived a life that is often forgotten about these days. Read after you have read One Man's Wilderness and compare the mind sets between Frank and Bill and how different their living in the wild was. Bill followed footsteps into the wild and found peace with the wild. Frank didn't have a plane stopping by with supplies, he truly made paths where there were none. He established roads, built and ran roadhouses, and created trap lines and hunting techniques that are used today. He was brilliant in the way he collected data. Weighing and measuring and keeping track of the widlife before the government moved in to manage it. This book is the one true glimpse I have had into the establishing of Alaska and what the native environment was like before social structure invaded. It is told from the eyes of a man who appreciated the relationship of the dog and how the two together worked to keep the delicate balance of life and death. I am interested in finding more books like this.

[Jayci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tom Blackley swears this will help me overcome my fear of wolves.... we shall see!

Post-reading: didn't quite "cure my fear" but I sure do understand them a lot better. This book was full of adventures; well told stories, and lots of interesting Alaskan facts and information on places. Run-ins with grizzlies, breading wolf-dogs for sledding, living on his own for months at at time in a small cabin he would build and living off the land. I am amazed how hardy men can be in the wilderness; especially just 75 years ago. Really made me experience "alaskan life" through pages of a book. I would recommend this to ANYONE who lives in Alaska... or even if you just want some adventure stories. I typically don't even give a thought to biographies, or factual books because they are BORING. But this? TRULY exciting. I would read it again if it were mine!! I think I will have to purchase it.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

For city-dwellers, more than you ever wanted to know about Alaskan wildlife and animal behavior.

But still very interesting.

Miners, market hunters, eskimos; a good portrayal of living the hard-scrabble life in the US's final frontier.

Memoirs delivered in an unpretentious, matter-of-fact style; appropriate for a guy who has been there done that.

Overturns many myths about wolves. Most notably the myth of killing only the "sick & wounded" perpetrated by Disney movies.

[Brendan Sempf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the best reads of my young life so far because Rearden gives such specific insights into what life was really like before Alaska was fully established as a state in the union. At many times I felt like I was in the scenes that the author described because of such vivid detail. Would highly recommend to anyone interested in nature and ecology!

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Alaska adventure books, and this was a good one. Recommended to me by an Alaskan resident who lives in the bush and hunts for most of her family’s food. Loved it.

[Kyle Garner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read!

[Kelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of useful information about everything Alaska. People, guns, wildlife, weather, hunting, trapping, history...Its all covered in this book from an incredibly objective and humble viewpoint. Its interesting to compare Frank Glaser to the guy from Into The Wild. Essentially they made the same choice, which was to leave the states and tackle Alaska. One was a little more successful than the other.

[Rodd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply an awesome book, about an Awesome state and in awesome time.. If you like Alaska, outdoors, hunting and law enforcement related, you'll lovethis book.

[Chad Kerchner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent excellent! One of the most interesting books I have ever read. I want to be Frank Glaser!

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought this book during a trip to Alaska. Thoroughly enjoyed reading the adventures of Frank
Glaser. No way do I want to do what he did! I learned so many interesting things about animals:
- unlike other North American deer, female caribou grow antlers
- reindeer and caribou can't see a night, wolves can
- wolf-dogs feet are good in snow and ice
- caribou's let tongue hang out when being chased. Wolves bite it off and caribou dies
- bull deer family & caribou are gamy tasting during breeding season and he tells why!
- hot (fresh kill) meat and cold water spoils it and even dogs won't eat it
- wolverines are bullies with meat. If they can't finish it, they spoil it with urine so no one wants it
- adult wolf can eat 20-30 lbs meat @1 feeding. NEEDS 8-10 lbs/day to survive!
- wolves chew open bones to get the marrow. Bear cannot do this
- wolves can look and recognize man, even if motionless. Caribou, moose and bears cannot

[Jacob Christensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a man that lives off of the Alaskan wilderness. He traps and hunts for a living. It is basically a documentary of his life. He tells his amazing stories and the life he had as he lived there. I think I liked this book so much and think so highly of it because it is all true. This man really did everything in the book. I think that it is so cool and amazing that someone could do what he did. I loved this book. It was one of my all time favorites. I grew up in Alaska so it was cool to hear what it was like in the 1910-1950s. Overall it is a very well written book that draws you in making he/she want more and to see what happens next. The author writes in an exciting way that pulls you in making it feel real. You want to hear about the next crazy thing that happens or that he does. As for weakness of the book I couldn't give you any, just that I wish there were more of his stories in the book. Amazing book and I would 100% recommend it.

[Leland Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A time long ago there lived a remarkable man

Though this story could not be told today without discomfort for many, Frank Glasser led a remarkable life for his time. We must be cautious judging history and the actions of pelople who lived long before us. Glasser was one of a kind. Brave, strong, an indomitable spirit. He loved the wolf. He did what he was paid to do. In his own way he lived a magnificent life. This is a well written story of a remarkable man.

[Ted Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could read books like this over and over. This is a captivating account of a wolf hunter and outdoorsman in Alaska, living a life on the land that many dream about but few have the will to accomplish.

[Geoffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, almost hard to believe at points. It's amazing that he ended up dying of natural causes as his life was filled with so much danger. The wolf control section in the end is probably the least exciting portion, albeit still interesting.

[Ike · Rating 4 out of 5]

One word = remote

[Charles R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read about a tremendous man.

I can not recommend this book enough. It is about the wild places some of us love so much. Anyone interested in adventure will enjoy this.

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hubby read this aloud to the kids and I at night. Some fascinating stories. We just wanted to reach through history and give Frank Glaser a pack raft.

[David Mcguire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written, interesting historical read.

[Heidi Wullschleger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book that immerses you into the life of Frank Glaser. An insight into living in the early Alaska wilderness.

[Pollopicu · Rating 2 out of 5]

This man killed female puppies because he simply didn’t want them.

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, although it took a while for me to get interested. This is the true story of a man who worked as a market hunter, trapper, guide and wolf hunter in Alaska. from the 1920s to the 1950s. What I found most amazing was learning about how he lived and worked in the Alaska wilderness. He often told of crossing rivers when the temperature was 0 degrees and simply stripping off his clothes and drying them out over a fire then continuing on his journey. It takes a special set of skills to live as he did and I found this and the information on the animals like wolves and caribou interesting.

[H.L. Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book that delivers a clear picture of life in Alaska in the early 1900's. It is one thing to travel the frost heaved bumpy Richardson Highway in a vehicle doing 65 miles an hour. It is another thing to walk the 365 miles crossing glacier fed streams, bumping into grizzly bears, and trying to find game for food. This was just another day at the office for Frank. Great hunting and trapping stories.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow! What an amazing man and adventure! Things were sure different back then. Makes my life seem so incredibly dull.

[Grace Bond · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to be Frank Glaser

[Toadinhole · Rating 4 out of 5]

excellent book, gets a bit wobbly in the last 20%

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best hunting books there is

[Andrew W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible book about the Alaskan frontier. If you don’t read this, you’re an idiot.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!